Offshore operator Edda Wind, which is jointly owned by Østensjø and Wilhelmsen, has launched its Service Operation Vessel (SOV) ‘Edda Goelo’ at Astilleros Balenciaga in Spain.
Edda Goelo will commence operations on a five-year contract for Siemens Gamesa at Iberdrola’s offshore wind farm in the Saint-Brieuc Bay in 2023.
Kenneth Walland, CEO Edda Wind, said: “Launching is always a special moment in the building process and a milestone to celebrate. We are very pleased with launching our second SOV built by Astilleros Balenciaga, and to successfully witness Edda Wind’s second launch this year. Once again, we deliver on our ambitions for the company and the industry as a whole.”
Edda Wind has a newbuild programme of eight vessels in addition to Edda Breeze delivered in May this year and Edda Passat and Edda Mistral delivered in 2018. Balenciaga will deliver the first SOV, Edda Brint, in August.
Edda Goelo will serve as a mother vessel for wind turbine technicians as they perform maintenance work on offshore wind turbines. Contrary to the other Edda Wind vessels, the Edda Goelo will not be seen in the company’s usual orange and yellow – for the first time, an Edda vessel will be painted blue and white, in accordance with the Siemens Gamesas profile colours.
The vessel can accommodate up to 40 maintenance technicians from Siemens Gamesa and Iberdrola, plus approximately 20 crew members from Edda Wind. Walland said: “This is Edda Wind’s first SOV to go on a long-term charter to Siemens Gamesa, and we look forward to working with one of the key players within offshore wind.”
Edda Wind says its SOVs are designed to set a new standard in the offshore wind market, with every effort made in the design to maximise efficiency of operations. The vessels will be ready for running emission-free on a hydrogen-based propulsion system, meaning that they will be the first SOVs operating with zero carbon emissions. The 82.85m SOVs are equipped with two Voith Schneider eVSP units as well as three Brunvoll tunnel thrusters.
John Paul Larrañeta, Siemens Gamesa CEO Services for Southern Europe and Africa, said: “We are delighted to be able to have the Edda Goelo for the maintenance of the Saint Brieuc wind farm, which we are going to install for Iberdrola, and that this vessel has been built in Bizkaia, which demonstrates, once again, Siemens Gamesa’s commitment to the Basque Country.”
